1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a traverse rod for decorations, such as curtains, vertical jalousies and movable wall portions.
2. Background and Summary of the Present Invention
The arrangement of previously known traverse rods (see German Gebrauchmuster 1,943,054) permits only the use of so-called T-rollers or slides. While the T-rollers or slides do exist in a number of embodiments, they are generally limited to a configuration in which the decoration holding hook or clamp is confined between two rollers.
However, in addition to T-rollers and slides, U-shaped rollers or slides are also available in which the rollers or slides are located on the arms of a fork which carries the decoration or mounting means therefore. Still further, there are C-formed slides which may, in plan view, be ring-formed.
In the past, different traverse rod configurations were required to accommodate these different types of slides or rollers since a given mounting means can only be employed with a given traverse rod configuration. Further, a variety of sizes of each of the different configurations of traverse rods were also necessary.
The resulting disadvantages are numerous. The decorator is required to have available, with considerable effort and at high cost, a large number of different traverse rod configurations. The customer is frequently limited in choice to that which the decorator has in stock so that many decorating problems remain unsolved.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to obviate the foregoing difficulties and provide a traverse rod which is so formed as to permit use with a wide variety of different types of rollers or slides and which may be mounted in a variety of orientations.
The present invention contemplates a traverse rod having a plurality of walls forming a box-like hollow cross section. One of the walls of the box section contains an opening through which slides or rollers may be received within the box section.
A box wall adjacent the box wall containing the opening includes a pair of arms which form a C-shaped recess on the exterior of the rod. One of the arms additionally forms a U-shaped recess adjacent the C-shaped recess. The portion of the box wall opposite the wall containing the opening completes the U-shaped recess.
The opening in the one box wall permits the use of C-rollers and slides of various types. It also permits the use of one or more U-rollers. The C-shaped recess also permits the use of a variety of mounting means including ring-slides and C-slides. T-rollers may also be used with the improved traverse rod of the present invention.
The U-shaped recess serves as a mounting means for the traverse rod in its various orientations.
The traverse rod of the present invention is so formed that with the use of the slides or rollers in its various orientations about its longitudinal axis, not only one, but all sides of the traverse rod, may serve as contact surfaces for the mounting means for the decorations.
To increase the stability of the rail, especially with decorations which have a corresponding high weight, the U-shaped recess is provided with a flat web at the bottom which is located within the hollow interior of the box section and which extends parallel to the surface containing the C-shaped recess and U-shaped recess.
Preferably, the arms of the C and U-shaped recesses are the same thickness as the box walls of the traverse rod.
In another embodiment of the invention, a projection depends from the box wall lying opposite the wall containing the C and U-shaped recesses. This projection may serve as a contact surface for the slides or rollers in certain orientations of the traverse rod.